Joseph and Katie Tillman recently welcomed their fourth baby girl, sweet Autumn, who arrived unexpectedly early at 31 weeks and 1 day, weighing only 3 pounds.

Soon after her birth, doctors discovered she had duodenal atresia, a condition where a portion of the small intestine is blocked or closed off. This prevents a baby from being able to digest and absorb food normally and requires immediate surgery shortly after birth. At just three days old, Autumn underwent this surgery at only 3 pounds and has been recovering in the NICU in Macon, two hours from home ever since.

Autumn was also born with a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), which is a small hole between the lower chambers of the heart. VSDs are not uncommon in premature babies, but they require close monitoring and specialized care as a child grows and sometimes additional treatment if the hole does not close on its own.

She has now been in the NICU for eight weeks, receiving the care she needs to grow stronger each day. Katie has been staying in Macon to remain close to her, while Joseph continues to work and drives back and forth from Valdosta to Macon twice a week so their three older girls can visit and spend time together as a family. It has been a long season of balancing home, hospital, travel, and the needs of four children.

The Tillmans have already met their full insurance deductible for 2025 and will be required to meet it again quickly for 2026 as her ongoing care continues. They are also responsible for two out-of-network ambulance bills (one for Autumn and one for Katie), along with ongoing expenses for food and gas during this time away from home.

This GoFundMe is meant to help ease the financial weight on this sweet family so they can focus on what matters most: Autumn’s healing and finally being together as a family.

Funds will go toward:

Any amount, big or small, will make a meaningful difference.

Thank you for supporting the Tillman family during this difficult and fragile time.